The present invention relates to a container/container support assembly comprising a gas container, particularly a medical gas cylinder, comprising a protective cap, and a container support for accepting and bearing the gas container, said support comprising a fixing system to allow it to be fixed to a bearing structure, such as a partition, a wall, a hospital bed, a stretcher or a wheelchair, etc.
Containers, particularly medical gas cylinders, used notably in a hospital environment, in the home, by the emergency services or in emergency response vehicles, need to be able to be fixed to various supports, such as partitions, walls, hospital beds, stretchers, wheelchairs, etc.
They therefore need to be provided with their own attachment system borne by the container itself or, if appropriate, using an independent device that allows the container to be attached to a support.
Thus, document EP-A-629812 proposes the creation of a downwardly facing notch in the bottom part of the protective cap, also referred to as the “bonnet” with which a gas cylinder is equipped and which serves to protect the valve or the pressure regulator of the cylinder against knocks. This notch allows the cylinder to be hung from various supports, notably from the bars of beds.
Document EP-A-2586481 proposes equipping the protective cap of a gas cylinder with a pivoting attachment structure comprising two hooks so that the cylinder can be hung notably from the bars of hospital beds.
Moreover, wall-mounted systems intended to be fixed to a vertical support, for example to a wall or a partition, are also known, these taking the form of baskets or the like in which the bodies of the cylinders are inserted, the cylinders being held therein by straps or the like.
However, these systems are not entirely satisfactory and have disadvantages, namely notably:                gas cylinders equipped with protective caps that have notches or hooks for securing purposes are not fixed stably because they are not fixed and may therefore fall, notably if somebody accidentally knocks the cylinder. This constitutes a risk to the user and to the equipment itself. In addition, it means that all cylinders need to be equipped with special-purpose protective caps, and this may represent a significant investment.        Wall-mounted basket type systems are bulky and it is not always easy to manipulate the cylinders. Hence in general the gas cylinder needs to be lifted up so that it can be inserted into a housing of the basket, something which is not practical and may cause the user injury.        
The problem to be addressed is therefore one of proposing an attachment system for a gas container, particularly for a gas cylinder, particularly for medical gas, that is improved, namely that does not have all or some of the aforementioned disadvantages, so as to minimize any situation of instability and limit the risks of the container, notably a gas cylinder, falling and of injuring the user.